Assignment 3- Language Arts Websites and Games Adrienne Adorno October 1, 2010
URL:http://www.funbrain.com/grammar/index.html Website:Funbrain.com Name of Game: Grammar Gorillas Summary of Website: Funbrain.com is a collection of educational games and resources for teachers, parents, and mostly students. Not only does Funbrain.com have a wealth of Language Arts games but there are many math games as well. Additionally, there is a Reading section which has a few excerpts from popular children’s books, such as Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and MadLibs which are not only fun but have a major emphasis on parts of speech. Summary of Game: Grammar Gorillas is a very straight forward grammar game. In Grammar Gorillas the object is to correctly identify the parts of speech. There are two levels, in the “beginner” level the player must only differentiate between verbs and nouns, but in the “advanced” you must identify all parts of speech. For every one you get right, the gorilla gets a banana; hence the name Grammar Gorillas. Evaluation: Grammar Gorillas is effective in reinforcing parts of speech. With two levels students who aren’t as strong of readers won’t get frustrated, on the other hand the advanced level can be somewhat challenging because it gives more options for potential answers. Color: In Grammar Gorillas there is color differentiation between the parts of speech to click on and the rest of the sentence. In the beginner level the sentence is blue while only the noun and verb are red. In the advanced level the sentence is blue while up to five words are red. Repetition: The questions are in the same format over and over again. This breed familiarity which helps builds the child’s confidence. Talking Text: N/A Visual Cues: Under where the child actually plays the game is somewhat of a word bank of parts of speech. It gives each part of speech, defines it and gives examples. Mistakes: When you make a mistake it says “sorry” or “oops” and then tells the player what he or she did wrong. Student Player Rating: N/A Highlighted Cues: The answers are a different color, bold faced and underlined. Navigation Routine: This website is very simple to navigate which is great for students who are just learning to use a computer or who are just learning English. Click Back& Back: When you click the back button it brings you to the previous question, but there is a places to click to go back to the home page. Click & Drag: N/A Rating on a scale: 9 I gave Grammar Gorillas a 9 out of 10 because though it is very effective it isn’t the most visually stimulating game, nor does it have talking text which is vital to auditory learners and English Language Learners who need help with pronunciation. URL:http://toonuniversity.com/flash.asp?err=191&engine= Website: Toonuniversity.com
Name of Game: Words in Context
Summary of Website: Toonuniveristy.com is an educational resource for parents, school, and children. Though this website does require a membership (which includes a fee) there are many games and worksheets that you can access without being a member. There are not only Language Arts games but Math, Science, and History as well.
Summary of Game: Words in Context is a game in which the object is to pick out the correct meaning of the word in context. A sentence appears and there is one word in red, underneath there is two meaning of the word. The player must then throw a pie at the duck representing the correct meaning.
Evaluation: Words in context helps to build the players vocabulary and puts major emphasis on fact that there are many words that have many meanings.
Color: In Words in Context the only color differentiation is for the word that you must define in context.
Repetition: The questions are in the same format over and over again. This breed familiarity which helps builds the child’s confidence. Additionally, if you get one wrong it repeats it a few times to help reinforce that particular meaning.
Talking Text: N/A
Visual Cues: N/A
Mistakes: When you make a mistake it says wrong but then later gives you opportunities to redo that same word.
Student Player Rating: N/A
Highlighted Cues: The word to be defined is in a different color.
Navigation Routine: This website is somewhat confusing and the text on the website is very small and hard to read.
Click Back& Back: When you click the back button it brings you to the previous question, but there is a places to click to go back to the home page.
Click & Drag: N/A
Rating on a scale: 8 I gave Grammar Gorillas a 8 out of 10 because it is missing a few major aspects of a truly effective educational game. There is no talking text and the website is somewhat hard to navigate which only would create frustration and waste time.
Name of Game: Confusing Words: Their/ There/ They’re
Summary of Website: Softschools.com is a resource for parents, teachers and students from kindergarten through middle school. It has activities, quizzes and works sheets for math, language arts, and geography for all of the aforementioned grades. This website is very academic but isn’t “stressful.”
Summary of Game: Confusing Words: Their/ There/ There is a quiz about words that sound the same, are spelled different and have different meaning.
Evaluation: This game is effective in helping children understand that even though two words may sound alike that does not mean they are spelled the same or even have the same meaning.
Color: Softschools.com doesn’t make great use of color, and there really is not color differentiation within the quiz.
Repetition: In this particular quiz they only ask about “they’re, their, there, who’s and whose” so the quiz is very repetitive. This is essential to make these two concepts second nature to the player.
Talking Text: N/A
Visual Cues: Before you take the quiz the website defines all of the words you will use.
Mistakes: When you make a mistake it tells you what you did wrong and tells you the right answer.
Student Player Rating: N/A
Highlighted Cues: N/A
Navigation Routine: This website is very simple to navigate which is great for students who are just learning to use a computer or who are just learning English.
Click Back& Back: When you click the back button it brings you to the previous question, but there is a places to click to go back to the home page.
Click & Drag: N/A
Rating on a scale: 8 I gave Confusing Words: They’re/There/ Their a 8 out of 10 because though it is very effective it isn’t the most visually stimulating game, nor does it have talking text which is vital to auditory learners and English Language Learners who need help with pronunciation.
Assignment 3- Language Arts Websites and Games
Adrienne Adorno
October 1, 2010
URL: http://www.funbrain.com/grammar/index.html
Website:Funbrain.com
Name of Game: Grammar Gorillas
Summary of Website: Funbrain.com is a collection of educational games and resources for teachers, parents, and mostly students. Not only does Funbrain.com have a wealth of Language Arts games but there are many math games as well. Additionally, there is a Reading section which has a few excerpts from popular children’s books, such as Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and MadLibs which are not only fun but have a major emphasis on parts of speech.
Summary of Game: Grammar Gorillas is a very straight forward grammar game. In Grammar Gorillas the object is to correctly identify the parts of speech. There are two levels, in the “beginner” level the player must only differentiate between verbs and nouns, but in the “advanced” you must identify all parts of speech. For every one you get right, the gorilla gets a banana; hence the name Grammar Gorillas.
Evaluation: Grammar Gorillas is effective in reinforcing parts of speech. With two levels students who aren’t as strong of readers won’t get frustrated, on the other hand the advanced level can be somewhat challenging because it gives more options for potential answers.
Color: In Grammar Gorillas there is color differentiation between the parts of speech to click on and the rest of the sentence. In the beginner level the sentence is blue while only the noun and verb are red. In the advanced level the sentence is blue while up to five words are red.
Repetition: The questions are in the same format over and over again. This breed familiarity which helps builds the child’s confidence.
Talking Text: N/A
Visual Cues: Under where the child actually plays the game is somewhat of a word bank of parts of speech. It gives each part of speech, defines it and gives examples.
Mistakes: When you make a mistake it says “sorry” or “oops” and then tells the player what he or she did wrong.
Student Player Rating: N/A
Highlighted Cues: The answers are a different color, bold faced and underlined.
Navigation Routine: This website is very simple to navigate which is great for students who are just learning to use a computer or who are just learning English.
Click Back& Back: When you click the back button it brings you to the previous question, but there is a places to click to go back to the home page.
Click & Drag: N/A
Rating on a scale: 9 I gave Grammar Gorillas a 9 out of 10 because though it is very effective it isn’t the most visually stimulating game, nor does it have talking text which is vital to auditory learners and English Language Learners who need help with pronunciation.
URL: http://toonuniversity.com/flash.asp?err=191&engine=
Website: Toonuniversity.com
Name of Game: Words in Context
Summary of Website: Toonuniveristy.com is an educational resource for parents, school, and children. Though this website does require a membership (which includes a fee) there are many games and worksheets that you can access without being a member. There are not only Language Arts games but Math, Science, and History as well.
Summary of Game: Words in Context is a game in which the object is to pick out the correct meaning of the word in context. A sentence appears and there is one word in red, underneath there is two meaning of the word. The player must then throw a pie at the duck representing the correct meaning.
Evaluation: Words in context helps to build the players vocabulary and puts major emphasis on fact that there are many words that have many meanings.
Color: In Words in Context the only color differentiation is for the word that you must define in context.
Repetition: The questions are in the same format over and over again. This breed familiarity which helps builds the child’s confidence. Additionally, if you get one wrong it repeats it a few times to help reinforce that particular meaning.
Talking Text: N/A
Visual Cues: N/A
Mistakes: When you make a mistake it says wrong but then later gives you opportunities to redo that same word.
Student Player Rating: N/A
Highlighted Cues: The word to be defined is in a different color.
Navigation Routine: This website is somewhat confusing and the text on the website is very small and hard to read.
Click Back& Back: When you click the back button it brings you to the previous question, but there is a places to click to go back to the home page.
Click & Drag: N/A
Rating on a scale: 8 I gave Grammar Gorillas a 8 out of 10 because it is missing a few major aspects of a truly effective educational game. There is no talking text and the website is somewhat hard to navigate which only would create frustration and waste time.
URL: http://www.softschools.com/quizzes/language_arts/spelling/quiz267.html
Website: Softschools.com
Name of Game: Confusing Words: Their/ There/ They’re
Summary of Website: Softschools.com is a resource for parents, teachers and students from kindergarten through middle school. It has activities, quizzes and works sheets for math, language arts, and geography for all of the aforementioned grades. This website is very academic but isn’t “stressful.”
Summary of Game: Confusing Words: Their/ There/ There is a quiz about words that sound the same, are spelled different and have different meaning.
Evaluation: This game is effective in helping children understand that even though two words may sound alike that does not mean they are spelled the same or even have the same meaning.
Color: Softschools.com doesn’t make great use of color, and there really is not color differentiation within the quiz.
Repetition: In this particular quiz they only ask about “they’re, their, there, who’s and whose” so the quiz is very repetitive. This is essential to make these two concepts second nature to the player.
Talking Text: N/A
Visual Cues: Before you take the quiz the website defines all of the words you will use.
Mistakes: When you make a mistake it tells you what you did wrong and tells you the right answer.
Student Player Rating: N/A
Highlighted Cues: N/A
Navigation Routine: This website is very simple to navigate which is great for students who are just learning to use a computer or who are just learning English.
Click Back& Back: When you click the back button it brings you to the previous question, but there is a places to click to go back to the home page.
Click & Drag: N/A
Rating on a scale: 8 I gave Confusing Words: They’re/There/ Their a 8 out of 10 because though it is very effective it isn’t the most visually stimulating game, nor does it have talking text which is vital to auditory learners and English Language Learners who need help with pronunciation.